Benjamin Taylor Sentenced to Life in Prison for Rape & Murder of Emmaleigh Barringer

JACKSON COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – Benjamin Taylor has been sentenced to life in prison without mercy for the rape and murder of 10-month-old Emmaleigh Barringer.

At the hearing, Emmaleigh’s grandmother gave a victim impact statement. She talked about how the 10-month-old’s life was cut short, showed Emmaleigh’s handprint and footprint, said how the memories are all they have left, and concluded by asking the judge to “show no mercy.”

The prosecutor talked about Taylor’s lack of remorse.

The defense asked the judge to consider who Taylor was for the first 30 years of his life. Taylor chose not to speak.

The judge proclaimed he had, “never seen anything so horrible.”

For the charge of first-degree murder, he was sentenced to life in prison without mercy.

For the charge of death of a child by child abuse, Taylor was sentenced to 40 years to run consecutively.

For the charge of sexual abuse by a guardian, he was sentenced to at least 10 years.

Taylor, 33, of Cottageville, WV, was arrested back in October of 2016.

Taylor was found guilty on charges of first-degree murder, death of a child by child abuse, and sexual abuse by a guardian in March.